The present invention is concerned with a process for the homologation of ethers to esters and alcohols. More specifically, the present invention involves a process for the conversion of dialkyl ethers to homologous carboxylic acid esters and alcohols by reaction of the ether with hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the presence of a heterogeneous suflided catalyst.
An article by M. Hidai et al. in Bull. Chem. Soc. Japan, volume 55, pages 3951-52 (1982) describes the homologation of methyl esters, in particular the conversion of methyl acetate to ethyl acetate, with synthesis gas in the presence of a homogeneous ruthenium-cobalt catalyst and a methyl iodide promoter.
European Patent Application Publication No. 0031606 A 1 describes the preparation of carboxylic acids and esters from carboxylic acid esters having one less carbon atom, carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst containing a ruthenium compound, a Group II metal iodide and/or bromide and a further Group VIII metal compound.
European Patent Application Publication No. 0031784 A2 describes the preparation of alkyl carboxylates from lower homologs by reaction with carbon monoxide and hydrogen using a ruthenium, cobalt and iodide catalyst system.
European Patent Application Publication No. 0046128 A1 describes the hydrocarbonylation and/or carbonylation of alkyl carboxylates in the presence of ruthenium, cobalt, vanadium and an iodide promoter.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,623,906 discloses that at pressures above 1,000 atmospheres and in the presence of a cobalt catalyst, primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols react with synthesis gas to form glycol ethers and monohydric alcohols containing at least one more carbon atom per molecule than the original alcohol reactant.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,285,948 discloses that an improved yield of ethanol from methanol can be obtained by conducting the synthesis gas homologation reaction in the presence of a cobalt catalyst which is promoted with iodine and a metal halide selected from ruthenium halide and osmium halide.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,837 discloses a process for producing ethanol which comprises reacting methanol with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst consisting essentially of a methanol-soluble cobalt carbonyl and methanol-insoluble rhenium metal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,946 discloses a process for producing ethanol from methanol, carbon monoxide and hydrogen which comprises conducting the reaction in the presence of a cobalt sulfide or a mixture of a cobalt sulfide and at least one of a nitrogen-containing compound and a phosphorus compound.